New Delhi, May 6, 2026, 01:33 IST
- Vivo plans to launch its X300 Ultra and X300 FE models in India at 12 p.m. on Wednesday, targeting a bigger share of the premium camera phone market.
- India’s phone market is feeling the squeeze from pricier memory, but buyers aren’t shying away from premium models—the launch lands right in the midst of it.
- No official word yet on pricing. Early launch figures suggest these phones are positioned at the premium end.
Vivo will roll out its X300 Ultra and X300 FE models in India this Wednesday, marking the debut of the Ultra series in the country and introducing the compact FE variant, which centers on Zeiss telephoto capabilities. Both phones are due for a noon reveal, local sources confirm.
Timing is key here. India’s budget smartphone segment is losing steam, just as brands pivot to premium devices to keep margins intact—higher specs, higher costs. Last month, Reuters highlighted Counterpoint Research data showing a 3% drop in India smartphone shipments in the first quarter, marking the lowest point in six years. Higher prices and weaker demand clipped sales.
Vivo finds itself in a tight spot it knows well: leading the pack by volume, but now steering buyers toward camera-centric phones at price points well above its usual territory. According to CMR, Vivo grabbed 21% of India’s smartphone shipments for the first quarter, topping Samsung, Oppo, and Xiaomi. Premium device sales climbed 25%, while demand for cheaper phones faltered.
Vivo landed three models in India’s top five during the first quarter, thanks to a solid foothold in the budget market and strong on-the-ground sales, Counterpoint analyst Shubham Singh said. That broad base expands Vivo’s reach, but it doesn’t automatically translate to wins higher up the price ladder—that’s still where Apple and Samsung shape much of what buyers want.
The X300 Ultra poses a tougher benchmark. According to Vivo India’s product page, the phone is equipped with a Zeiss camera setup: there’s a 50-megapixel ultra-wide at 14 mm, plus both 200-megapixel cameras—a 35 mm documentary lens and an 85 mm telephoto, each one featuring optical image stabilisation to tackle blur at the hardware level. For those wanting even more reach, Vivo offers separate 200 mm and 400 mm telephoto extenders for purchase.
According to Vivo’s India site, the Ultra features Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor, a 6,600 mAh battery, 100W wired charging, and 40W wireless charging. The company is promising five years of OS upgrades alongside seven years of security patches.
Vivo frames the X300 FE as its compact entry. Specs on Vivo’s India page include a 50-megapixel Sony IMX882 telephoto lens (3x optical, up to 100x digital zoom), plus an 8-megapixel ultra-wide, a 50-megapixel Sony IMX921 main shooter, and another 50-megapixel up front. Under the hood: Snapdragon 8 Gen 5, LPDDR5X RAM, UFS 4.1 storage. Power comes from a 6,500 mAh battery, with 90W wired and 40W wireless charging on offer.
Vivo’s newsroom paints the FE as a 6.31-inch phone built for one-handed use, available in Urban Olive, Lilac Purple, and Noir Black. There’s a 50-megapixel Zeiss telephoto lens and AI Creative Camera tools. The pitch is pure marketing, but the positioning is clear enough—the company frames this not as a watered-down flagship, but as a smaller phone aimed at creators.
The one thing we still don’t know: official pricing. According to India Today, which references tipster Sanju Choudhary, the X300 Ultra could show a box MRP of 199,999 rupees, but retail closer to 159,999 rupees for its 16GB/512GB variant. The X300 FE might see 119,999 rupees on the box, with a likely launch price near 79,999 rupees for the 12GB/256GB configuration. These numbers haven’t been confirmed by Vivo, so they’re not final.
Packed with rivals, the market doesn’t leave much room. 91mobiles reports that the Ultra will go head-to-head with devices like the iPhone 17 Pro Max, Pixel 10 Pro XL, and Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra. India Today, for its part, points to the X300 FE taking on the OnePlus 15R and iQOO 15R.
But it’s not just price that’s at stake here. In one of the first camera rundowns, 91mobiles’ Ramneek Singh pointed out that at 200 mm, shots on the X300 FE using its telephoto extender delivered solid detail and sharpness. Push past the 600 mm mark, though, and images start relying on AI—sometimes coming off a bit artificial. That’s the balancing act for Vivo: impressive long zooms help move units based on specs, but this crowd won’t ignore real-world results.
No relief in the wider market, either. Prachir Singh, senior analyst at Counterpoint, described India’s phone sector as facing a “clear affordability squeeze.” Research director Tarun Pathak said the second quarter might bring a “double-digit decline.” And CMR’s Menka Kumari flagged pricier DRAM and NAND chips, saying the increases are resulting in “slower upgrade cycles and softer momentum.” Reuters
Vivo isn’t just rolling out another pair of X-series phones on Wednesday—this is a test of whether its camera hardware, Zeiss accessories, and battery promises can actually nudge Indian consumers toward pricier models. Most specs are already out there. The real answer comes with the price tag.
